RAILTRACK'S chief operating officer is to leave his job with immediate effect, after the group today said the role "wasn't working"....

RAILTRACK'S chief operating officer is to leave his job with immediate effect, after the group today said the role "wasn't working".

Jonson Cox, who joined Railtrack in September 2000 as director of operations and in November became chief operating officer, is to step down from the board and leave the firm immediately.

Chief executive Steve Marshall will instead take direct control of the company's operations.

Railtrack chairman John Robinson, who took over the post in June, said the role of chief operating officer was not needed, and had been "one layer too many" of management.

He said he had been considering cutting the role "ever since I arrived".

"It wasn't working, the performance has not been improving anything like fast enough.

"There was one layer too many of management in the way."

"It was a reflection on the role and the structure and the fact that it wasn't working.

"I am not going to comment on Jonson in particular.

"My view is the role wasn't required anyway."

He added that Mr Marshall would not be left doing two jobs but would be doing the proper job of chief executive.

Mr Cox, who does not as yet have another job to go to, was paid #149,000 for the period from September to March.

He will not receive a lump sum bonus on leaving.

Mr Robinson said: "He is not getting a lump sum compensation. I don't believe in them. But we will honour his contract which has 13 months to go. He will be paid monthly until he gets a new job.

"We will be paying him for 13 months only if he doesn't get another job."

However, Mr Cox will be expected to actively seek another job, Railtrack said.

One City analyst, who would not be named, said it was a surprise decision.

"He's only been there a short time. It shows there has been some tension at the top. I think it was maybe a layer of management too many. But it looks as though the parting was in a way that was not particularly happy.

"I don't know how effective or ineffective he was but there is always an element of scapegoating, I think."